So many high school athletes lost their spring sports season this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“When we found out our season was going to be canceled, we obviously were devastated as seniors,” said Madison midfielder Chloe Silva.
Months later, they are getting the chance to take the field again thanks to the Dream League.
“This absolutely means everything to me,” said Guilford defender Maggie Mandel.
“All of us are so happy to have one last season with the girls we’ve been playing with for so long,” said Madison attack Regan Larson.
“I mean it’s amazing,” added Guilford attack Catherine Larrow. “I never thought we would play together again.”
The Dream League was organized by the James Vick Foundation with the goal of giving the girls a safe way to compete.
Sports
“We have teams as far south as Monroe and as far north as Guilford,” said Christian Vick, who is the CEO of the James Vick Foundation. “It’s not possible if the parents, the kids, the volunteers, the medical oversight committee and everybody really supported us. This is a group effort.”
Safety remains the top priority for the league so that means you’ll see a lot more stick taps than high fives.
“It’s hard we have to reign back our hugs,” said Larrow. “We normally like to give big hugs after goals and stuff like that.”
“When we come to the game, we have to be wearing a mask and get our temperature taken,” said Larson.
“Not being able to high five as regularly or at all and not being able to get close in the huddle kind of stinks but at least we get to play,” added Silva.
On top of those safety protocols, the Dream League is taking things a step further.
“The athletes you saw out here today have to get tested before they can take the field,” said Vick. “They have to get retested if they leave the state. Testing is actually the biggest part of our protocol because there is no youth sports organization in Connecticut that’s doing that.”
Christian Vick played his college basketball at Quinnipiac University and now his goal is to carry on his father’s vision.
“The main mission of what we do is that no kid should have to pay anything to play sports,” said Vick.
Dreams from March are now a reality thanks to the Dream League and now the athletes are dreaming of a championship.
“I’d be really excited to win this and I think it would kind of make up for our lost time,” said Mandel.
Conference tournaments for the Dream League will begin on August 10.
